Shloka 21

Brahmaṇānāṃ Yācanā—Tīrtha-yātrā-prastāvaḥ

The Brahmanas’ Petition and the Proposal of Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

महाहवेष्वप्रतिमं महायुद्धविशारदम्‌ । महाथनुर्धरं वीरं महास्त्रं वरवर्णिनम्‌

Transliteration

mahāhaveṣv apratimaṁ mahāyuddhaviśāradam | mahādhanuḥdharaṁ vīraṁ mahāstraṁ varavarṇinam

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana nói: Chàng vô song trong những trận đại chiến, tinh thông mọi phép tắc của chiến trận hùng vĩ—một dũng sĩ bậc thầy của đại cung, sở hữu binh khí đáng sợ, dung mạo lại tuấn tú phi thường.

Word by Word

महाहवेषुin great battles

अप्रतिमम्incomparable

महायुद्धविशारदम्skilled in great warfare

महाधनुर्धरम्a great bow-bearer (mighty archer)

वीरम्hero, warrior

महास्त्रम्possessing great weapons / great in weapons

वरवर्णिनम्of excellent appearance/complexion

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an idealized warrior profile: excellence in battle is grounded in mastery (viśāradatā), disciplined capability with weapons, and noble conduct/appearance—suggesting that power is meant to be cultivated as a trained, responsible kṣatriya virtue rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana is describing a particular hero in elevated epithets—unmatched in major combats, expert in warfare, a great archer, and formidable in weaponry—setting the tone for the character’s significance in the unfolding events.